Admission Requirements

The minimum requirement for admission to the master’s program is an Honours bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent) with at least high honours standing.

The Department does not offer a qualifying-year program; applicants with a general (3-year) degree may be considered for admission into the fourth year of Carleton’s B.A.(Honours) program.

Program Requirements

NOTE: The requirements below are currently being approved by the University for students entering the program in Fall 2016. Students who entered the program before that date should consult the program requirements for current students.

All M.A. students are required to take:

HIST 5003: Historical Theory and Method (0.5 credit). This course will provide students with a solid grounding in historical theory and methodology in preparation for thesis and research essay projects.

In addition to the above requirements, students in their respective streams are also required to complete:

Thesis Option
(2 year program)

Research Essay Option
(1 year program)

1.5 credits in HIST graduate seminars

2.0 credits in HIST graduate seminars

0.5 credit in HIST 5900

HIST 5909: M.A. Thesis (2.0 credits)

HIST 5908: Research Essay (1.0 credit)

M.A. students in either stream may take up to 1.0 credit in graduate seminars in Public History in order to fulfill the elective course requirements above. In addition, up to 0.5 credit may be completed in another Carleton unit, at the University of Ottawa, or at another accredited institution, with permission of the department.

M.A. Specializations

In certain areas, Carleton offers the opportunity to pursue a specialized course of study with separate course requirements. The Department of History currently supports two MA specializations: African Studies (with one-year research essay option or a two-year thesis) and Digital Humanities (two-year thesis option only). Students interested in pursuing a Specialization in African Studies or Digital Humanities should consult the program requirements of these programs.

Guidelines for Completion of Master’s Degree

Full-time M.A. students are required to submit thesis proposals to the graduate supervisor in the second term. In general, students complete their course work in the first eight months (two semesters). Students in the 1-year program research and write their research essays (40-60 pages) in the following summer semester. Students in the 2-year program research, write, and defend their Master’s Thesis (120-150 pages) in their second year. The expected timelines for part-time students are different and students should consult the graduate calendar.

Language Requirements

All candidates are required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English, the choice to depend upon the field of the candidate’s thesis or research. For research projects dealing with sources not in English, a reading knowledge of the appropriate language will be required before acceptance into the program. Details may be obtained from the Graduate Adviser.

Disclaimer: Information on this is only a guideline and is subject to change. Please be sure to consult the graduate calendar for program information.